5 Tips for National Selfie Day

PHOTO: It’s finally time to celebrate that insufferable thing we all do. (Photo via Flickr/Mussi Katz)

Wednesday is National Selfie Day, so we recommend staying indoors if you aren’t a fan of outstretched arms.

Yet, even the curmudgeon has to admit that we live in a pretty nifty era when travel photography is as simple as busting out the phone. It also means that we can actually star in our own holiday photographs without having to ask strangers to hold our camera and snap off a pic or few.

Here are just a few simple tricks that might make vacation shots easier than ever:

Get the Hardware

This is the part where I recommend a selfie stick. Yes, they are the bane of everyone’s existence but can also be a valuable tool if used with respect to those around you.

These are the times when a selfie stick comes in handy, just not around droves of tourists near a popular landmark during rush hour. My own was an awesome asset when touring the U.K. as I happened upon places completely devoid of people (like on a hike through the countryside).

There are also many miniature tripods that affix to smartphones. Or, if you are really immersed in the idea, consider a travel drone to wow friends back at home.

Down Times

Travel blogger Alyssa Ramos was in Iceland at the Blue Lagoon in the above image. She explains via the caption: “Yes, the Blue Lagoon gets crowded, but not if you go either super early or super late! Here's what it looks like around midnight!”

Go at the right (Or is that wrong?) time and you may get something quite magical.

Lighting

The trick to a professional looking selfie, aside from being a professional, is indeed the lighting.

Popular Photography has some great general tips that might aid you in your endeavors: If you can, go at dusk for prime lighting. It will also give you an excuse to dine al fresco for dinner.

Apps

There are a ton out there for iOS and Android, and many great ones are free. So download away and try them before you fly.

These will let you fix lighting, crop out unsightly background noise or just make things look more artistic (such as with Prisma). Then there are really fun things like MSQRD that give you Snapchat-like filters.

Whether a selfie or just a regular ol’ picture, we can’t recommend taking more snapshots enough.

Take one of that menu. Get a photo of you in front of the door to your hotel room. Get a picture with the book you were reading by the pool.

You never know which image will jog what memory years from now. A simple selfie now may mean an awesome recollection you have decades on. So take more selfies, and take more traditional, outward-facing photos too! After all, that's half the fun of traveling.

Selfies don’t have to be a bad word in the travel community. If done with respect to those around you, they can really be the greatest souvenir we come away with when leaving a destination.

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